Latest News

HOUSTON – The lure of fast money led Morris Young to a revolving door of incarceration.Following his third stint behind bars for drug-related charges, Morris decided to leave his old lifestyle behind and find a way to support his family the honest and legal way.

Morris is among the 20th biannual class tograduate the Houston Health Department (HHD) Community Re-Entry Network Program(CRNP). The program helps ex-offenders transition into productive, contributingmembers of society.

“The program gave me an opportunity to apply certain
principles to my life, as opposed to just theoretically,” Morris said. “It
keeps me more grounded.”

Recidivism, the rate at which ex-offenders relapse into
criminal behavior, is currently zero among this class while the average rate in
Texas is approximately 23 percent. Re-entry programs save taxpayers millions of
dollars that would otherwise be spent on the cost of re-incarceration.

“This program has become a beacon of hope for so many,” said
LaTosha Selexman, CRNP division manager. “Our staff, local employers, community
groups, family and friends work together to support program participants in
successfully reintegrating into the Houston-area community.”

While participating in the program, Morris gained employment
with the City of Houston General Services Department. The department is a
long-time supporter of CRNP, employing several graduates over the past decade.

Of the 94 graduates in the December 2018 class, about 65
percent are either employed or have enrolled in or completed an educational or
vocational training program.

“Now I have a chance to be with my kids and get more active
in a faith-based lifestyle,” Morris said. “I need to be that man my daughter would
marry. I need to show my son how to be the kind of father who can keep his
family safe and at peace.”

CRNP enrolls about 500-600 participates annually. It’s
estimated that as many as 15,000 ex-offenders are released from the Texas
Department of Criminal Justice into Harris County each year.

“Many program graduates have been able to move forward with
their lives,” Selexman continued. “We take pride in celebrating the
accomplishments of these individuals.”